香港中文大学

The Chinese language is one of the major intangible cultural heritages of the world, with an uninterrupted history of more than 3,000 years. Cheryl Chiu was admitted to the Department of Chinese Language and Literature four years ago. To Cheryl, language and literature are the keys to explore the infinite possibilities of culture in our finite lives. ‘I’ve been a keen learner of the Chinese language since I was a secondary school student. I’m fortunate enough to have been admitted by the Department to enjoy my untrammelled pursuit in the literary heritage.’

The undergraduate curriculum affords Cheryl a close examination of the characteristic features of the Chinese language, an in-depth introduction to traditional theories of language and modern linguistics, and critical study of classical and modern Chinese literature. ‘The students will acquire a solid understanding of the field in general while specializing in their own areas of interest among the 50 specialty courses, such as philology and linguistics, Qin/Han textual studies, Tang/Song poetry, modern Chinese fiction or creative writing—all under the guidance of our erudite faculty members,’ said Prof. Ho Che-wah, Chairman of the Department.

The Department launched ‘Creative Writing in Chinese’ in the 2016–17 academic year. The specialized training helps the students develop their writing expertise. They will acquire advanced skills in both creative and professional writing, enhance their knowledge of various literary genres and other closely related arts, sharpen their literary sensibility, and build their creative vision. Professor Ho said, ‘Creative writing courses are conducted in small-group teaching, which fosters close teacher-student bonds. We organize writing competitions like Literary CUHK and publish student anthologies to groom budding writers. Every year, our students win coveted prizes in major literary competitions.’

The study atmosphere in the Department is what Cheryl treasures the most. ‘Most of my classmates are highly motivated and curious learners. The faculty members are always supportive and keen to answer students’ questions. Their passion motivates us to discover the richness in Chinese language and literature and go beyond our limits.’ She enjoys the time with her classmates, whether it be academic exchange or simply chit-chatting. ‘Our interaction isn’t limited to analyzing the classics or tracing the development of some Chinese linguistic features, but is also about our personal issues and some frustrations in life. I’m blessed to have developed such genuine friendships at the Department.’

Modern Chinese is replete with idioms, allusions, and analogies that derive from traditional Chinese culture. Classical cultural references often cited in wenyan (literary Chinese) are often adopted by government officials, diplomats, politicians and other public figures in their speeches or messages. Therefore, Cheryl found her studies in the past three years tremendously helpful in building her cultural literacy to decode the messages she comes across in daily life. ‘I’ve built up the capacity to recognize allusions and references in written and colloquial Chinese, and to detect the subtleties of irony, humour or sarcasm the speakers intended to convey.’